For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. The “long overdue” upgrade of one of western Sydney’s most overcrowded schools has finally begun The NSW Government has officially turned the sod on upgrades for Girraween Public School which will see 38 demountable classrooms on the site replaced with new three-quarters of the school’s classrooms are in demountables Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Western Sydney Prue Car said the project follows “broken promises” from the former Government who originally announced the upgrades back in 2017 “We are rebuilding public education in NSW after 12 years of neglect and broken promises by the former Liberal National Government who committed to upgrade Girraween Public School in 2017 but did nothing to progress it,” she said “Students and staff at Girraween Public School were left to teach and learn in ageing demountables that became a permanent fixture under the Liberals and Nationals “These new facilities will provide the modern learning tools to help develop students’ skills and set them up for academic success and I look forward to seeing them complete in 2026.” Other upgrades slated for the local school include an extended and refurbished school hall extensions to the covered outdoor learning area and the library a refurbished school carpark with improved access Member for Prospect Hugh McDermott said the upgraded facilities will be delivered where they are needed most “We know that well designed schools and classrooms can have far-reaching benefits for both staff and student performance “Western Sydney is growing at a rapid rate and these new facilities will future-proof Girraween Public School as a modern flexible and comprehensive public school offering for families in this community for generations to come.” The upgrade will be delivered in two stages with students and staff expected to begin learning in the new fit-for-purpose classrooms by day one “These new facilities will provide a modern learning environment for students in our community now and into the future,” she said “I look forward to seeing construction take shape and I cannot wait to see the finished product in the not-too-distant future.” Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards The Territory suburbs where houses sell the fastest have been revealed with more affordable pockets in Darwin’s northern suburbs and rural areas making up most of the top 10 list The latest data from REA shows Girraween was the suburb with the lowest days on market with houses selling in 29 days on average The rural suburb has a median sale price of $817,500 Coming in at number two is Moil where the median days on market is 34 and the average house price is $545,000 followed by Millner (38 days) and Rapid Creek (39 days) These suburbs have median prices of $575,000 Rounding out the top 10 are Acacia Hills (43 days) the median days on market for houses in sitting at 69 Katherine is the NT suburb where houses take the longest to sell with a median days on market of 318 days The average house price in Katherine is $375,000 Sitting just about Katherine is Katherine East where houses take 268 days to sell on average and the median house price has dropped 5.7 per cent in three years to $330,000 The third slowest selling Territory suburb is The Gap in Alice Springs where average days on market is 185 and the median house price is $380,000 This is followed by the Alice Springs suburbs of Larapinta where houses are taking about 169 days to sell The average cost of a house in these suburbs are $439,000 third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth AffairsThe Honourable Meaghan Scanlon The recent $3.3 million upgrade to Girraween National Park has proven a hit with hundreds of families experiencing the new facilities over the school holiday period The Palaszczuk Government last month completed upgrades to the premier camping and nature-based tourism destination including the creation of two new camping areas Environment Meaghan Scanlon said Girraween National Park is internationally renowned for its magnificent granite landscape spring wildflower displays and its changing seasons “Girraween is one of Queensland’s popular national parks with more than 120,000 people visiting each year,” Minister Scanlon said “It plays a big role in the $2.4 billion economic injection our national parks provide and it’s why we’ve committed $262.5 million to expand and acquire new national parks across the state “COVID has seen more Queenslanders visiting the park in the past two years which is located south of Stanthorpe in the Granite Belt region and close to the border with New South Wales “Castle Rock camping area has undergone a major redevelopment and two new camping areas have been to enhance both the visitor experience and environmental outcomes The upgrade to Girraween’s camping areas will see the Bald Rock Creek camping area close after 50 years of use due to environmental concerns in relation to wastewater and soil erosion The Minister said Castle Rock camping area now has sites suitable for all users including specifically dedicated sites for larger groups and persons with disabilities who now have easy access to suitable facilities “The new Terrawambella camping area has grassed organised groups and larger camping structures “People will love the Kambuwal camping area which is nestled among trees and granite rocks and has more intimate sites suitable for small trailers and various sized tents “The names given to the two new camping areas recognise Girraween’s First Nations people—the Kambuwal People—and their connection to this special place.” “Terrawambella is the Kambuwal People’s name for The Pyramid and all three camping areas take in spectacular views of The Pyramid and Castle Rock Minister Scanlon said about 80 per cent of visitors to Girraween walk up The Pyramid which is a strenuous walk to the top of a massive “With the latest improvements to The Pyramid walking track many visitors to Girraween will enjoy climbing to the top to take in the breathtaking views of the park “As part of the work building a better Girraween a concept plan for the development of an exciting new Girraween Visitor Centre and Precinct has been completed as has the installation of additional water supply infrastructure and waste treatment system “If you’ve never been to Girraween plan a trip and enjoy the improved visitor facilities and experiences on offer.” Media contact: Francis Dela Cruz - 0420 592 078 Please use our complaints and compliments form Jolene McLellan has worked as a ranger in Girraween National Park for 20 years. "I'm always encouraging people to use all their senses when they visit," she said. (ABC Southern Qld: Peter Gunders) Link copiedShareShare articleThe Granite Belt's famous national park — Girraween — celebrates 50 years of being formally gazetted, and a ranger who has spent the last two decades working in it says her 'office' is the envy of many. "There's something to learn every day, and something different going on at all times of the year," she said. "I look out my office window onto the park, and see an amazing view, and if I need to take a stroll to the toilets, I always go the long way," she laughed. Ms McLellan says the park benefitted from four distinct seasons. "We get the cold frosty mornings, and sometimes snow, in winter," she said. "Then we have the changing colours of autumn. "Spring is probably the highlight of the year when we have all the wildflowers. "Girraween actually means 'place of flowers'. "And when summer rolls around, we get a dry heat so it is still pleasant. And if it gets too hot we'll go for a swim in Bald Rock creek to freshen up." Ms McLellan says the 120,000 visitors a year that visit the park owe a debt of gratitude to the local doctor who campaigned in the 1920s for preservation of the habitat of the superb lyrebird and common wombat. "Dr Spencer Roberts would visit people's houses and see superb lyrebird feather tails in their lounge rooms and say 'Where can I see one of those birds?'" Ms McLellan said. "They pointed him to the Girraween area, and he submitted applications to the government saying it was special. "Both the superb lyrebird and common wombat are at their most northern point of distribution at Girraween. They are common in southern states, but you won't find them further north." If visitors do not spot a lyre bird or wombat, they definitely will not miss the large granite boulders that dominate the landscape. "I think what is amazing is thinking about the geological history," Ms McLellan said. "These rocks are so ancient, but the little lichens on them are still eating away, helping shape the rocks to what we see now." Ms McLellan said people had been very creative with naming the rock formations. "We have a pyramid, castle rock, the sphinx, a whale, gorilla, a wombat and a 'bum rock' — or 'bottom rock', if we're being formal," she laughed. Ms McLellan said the park had become a popular weekend getaway for people as the 17 kilometres of bush and rock walks could be traversed over two days. "But if you can spare three days or longer, you'll really start to unwind," she said. Ms McLellan said that even if people did not spot a wombat or lyre bird — who are at their most active in May — there was a lot to notice in the park. "Because of the granite rocks this place is a reptile haven," she said. "Birds and reptiles are the big thing here." To celebrate the 50-year milestone, previous park rangers were invited for a reunion, and local school children were also invited to perform a lantern parade through the walking tracks. "Having the children here is great," Ms McLellan said. "They are the future, and we'll need their help to protect this place further." Girraween National Park is dominated by granite rock (Creative Commons: Michael Jefferies) CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The family behind an app which has been helping visitors explore the Daintree National Park has added to their Aussie Park Guides have introduced a guide for Girraween National Park following the Daintree guide they introduced last year Queensland’s Southern Downs and Granite Belt region is described as being different to any other national park in Queensland Grant said it contained spectacular geology and remarkable granite rock formations that were not found anywhere else in the state “Girraween replaces rainforests with rocks and it provides a number of challenging hikes where you can explore the most amazing geological features like the Granite Arch “It is home to rare and unique wildlife like the superb lyrebird which has been described by Sir David Attenborough as having ‘the most elaborate and the most beautiful song in the world’ and it contains Australia’s northernmost population of common wombats “Combining this amazing wildlife with spectacular scenery and its famous wildflowers after which the park is named – Girraween is an indigenous word meaning ‘place of flowers’ – this park really is a one-of-a-kind experience and hence our reason for choosing it for our next guide.” Grant said the Girraween National Park Self-Drive Audio Guide app provided tips directions and information about specific points of interest unique flora and fauna and the park’s Indigenous and European cultural heritage “It allows travellers to make the most of their day timely and accurate information about the park so that they can choose their own itinerary “This allows users to learn more about the park as they enjoy exploring its beautiful locations from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle.” The apps require no internet or phone reception to use once downloaded Grant said producing the apps took about six months Three new apps for national parks in three different states were being developed “The uptake of our apps has been positive and is trending upwards in usage but the volume is nowhere near the pre-COVID estimates that were predicted,” Grant said “Our Daintree Guide was produced based on historical visitation to the park which is heavily dependent upon overseas tourism so the cessation of international flights was incredibly disruptive to our business we believe that this will improve greatly with the commencement of international flights we have pivoted to domestic tourism and our Girraween Guide was produced to cater for the needs of this market.”  Visit the website to learn more about Aussie Park Guides The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person Any advice contained in the document is general advice not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you having regard to your objectives and needs Insurance products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQ). 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Please read our Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice page for more information RACQ acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders Eos who arrived from Asia at least 65,000 years ago burned savanna and dry forests on a rotational basis to reduce the latent fuel load and intensity of natural wildfires These techniques fostered biodiversity and provided a better environment for the animals they hunted a University of Tasmania pyrogeographer who has spent 40 years searching for such evidence as it was the filming location for a crocodile attack scene in the 1986 movie Crocodile Dundee Get the most fascinating science news stories of the week in your inbox every Friday Bird and his team discovered that the lagoon had been collecting sediment for 150,000 years and meaning organic materials in the anoxic mud were well preserved “You have sort of a tape recorder from the bottom to the top,” Bird said that time span crossed through the last ice age into the previous interglacial period a time when northern Australia experienced a climate similar to today’s but that differed from the present in one very important way: There were no humans around researchers had a baseline data set to compare with the current interglacial Natural wildfires are common in Australia’s Top End the sedimentary record was full of charcoal The “burning” question was what portion of that charcoal came from natural wildfires and what came from fires started by humans Natural wildfires are typically much hotter and more intense than managed burns so the researchers used new techniques to search for chemical evidence of fire intensity Stable polycyclic aromatic carbon (SPAC) is a compound created in high-intensity fires which the team found much more frequently in prehuman charcoal deposits reducing their crowns and trunks to charcoal turning it to ash that scatters on the wind and they turn more of the grass to charcoal By analyzing SPAC content and the ratio of tree to grass charcoal the team detected a change from high-intensity natural fires to more frequent less intense fires starting at least 11,000 years ago The findings suggest a shift from natural wildfires to managed burning as the ice age ended That might be explained by geography; as sea levels rose The local climate became wetter and milder and therefore more attractive to people Independent New South Wales paleoecologist Mark Constantine IV said that the insights from Girraween Lagoon wouldn’t have been possible before recent advances in fire science whereas before we could just talk about their existence “is a very interesting way of using charcoal data to think about whether people actually were burning and how much.” At the same time he cautioned that “these are all proxy data There is no direct evidence of people setting a fire and using it to burn the landscape up until there was [European] eyewitness evidence of these things happening in the 1700s But I think it does provide some evidence that there was some systematic burning being done.” although “sort of kicking myself” for not coring Girraween Lagoon himself is a nail in the coffin of old ideas that firestick farming was only a relatively recent development in Aboriginal culture “The very refreshing part of this paper is to say With the arrival of Europeans, traditional Aboriginal burning came to a halt in most areas. In recent decades, horrific wildfires fueled by excess fuel loads have pushed species to the brink of extinction northern Australian savannas coevolved along with this regime of traditional burning you get all sorts of very nasty biodiversity impacts Today, managed burns are again being used to preemptively tame wildfires in a warming, drying climate. Turning to Indigenous methods of land management might help humans find a way to cope with the climate crisis and be part of the solution This news article is included in our ENGAGE resource for educators seeking science news for their classroom lessons. Browse all ENGAGE articles and share with your fellow educators how you integrated the article into an activity in the comments section below Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A major warehouse fire threw flames up to 30 metres high in western Sydney on Sunday morning and took more than 100 firefighters to bring it under control More than 20 fire trucks were called to an industrial estate in Girraween about 2am near the intersection of the Great Western Highway and Greystanes Road and forced emergency services to close the major thoroughfare in both directions until about 7am The eastbound lanes of the highway are expected to remain closed for the rest of Sunday between the intersection of Beresford Road and Greystanes Road The westbound lanes were re-opened just after 7am but are operating under contraflow conditions which means motorists will be able to pass by the area towards the city but under restricted conditions as they are operating in both directions A large warehouse fire broke out this morning in Girraween on the Great Western Highway.Credit: Fire & Rescue NSW Drivers are urged to avoid the area as significant traffic delays have been reported Transport for NSW is recommending trucks and large vehicles use the M4 Motorway The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories flourishes across the Diocese of Parramatta This may be surprising to an older generation of parishioners who recall the introduction of the novus ordo Masses which ushered in the use of the vernacular The Latin Mass has a revered and fascinating history more recently including the story of the ‘Agatha Christie Indult’ Distinguished artists wrote to Pope Paul VI requesting the preservation of the Latin Mass the Holy Father granted special permission for the use of the Latin Mass of 1962 in England and Wales last year marked the 10th anniversary of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio which granted every Roman Catholic priest the right to offer the Latin Mass of 1962 officially known as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass Eternal Word Television Network made a helpful video explaining the Extraordinary Form Latin Mass offered by the FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of St Peter) Many examples of the Latin Mass offered throughout the world can be found on YouTube including historical Masses from Bishop Fulton Sheen up to and including present day bishops and cardinals this is the same Latin Mass as Fr James Dixon and St Peter Chanel celebrated all Roman Catholics experienced from the early centuries of the Church This universality can also be found by comparing the varied nationalities of the priests of the Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP) who serve this diocese: Fr Martin Klein hails from Germany “Ever since we were invited into the Diocese in 2001 the FSSP has been blessed with the generosity of many people; from the gracious use of the locations where we live and offer daily Mass to the many faithful who assist at our liturgical activities to the volunteers who continue to help us to help build up the Mystical Body of Christ,” Fr Blust said People are attracted to the Latin Mass for a variety of reasons “Many may find the Latin ceremonies difficult but the increased silent parts help some people prayerfully contemplate the sacred actions; others find the Masses that are accompanied by chant and incense quite edifying as the ‘smells and bells’ help to join all of the senses and one’s whole being in worshipping God,” Fr Blust said “Many choose to attend the ceremonies for varied reasons; some for the Latin ceremonies the chants and the sacred music; some for the preaching and availability of the priests; others for the reception of the Sacraments; others the family support and catechesis; some on account of the various devotions that enhance their week.” who is the Chaplain for the Diocese of Parramatta first encountered the Latin Mass in his native Hong Kong and found it fostered his spiritual growth “It helped me to grow in relationship with God,” Fr Leung said He and Fr Blust both studied at Our Lady of Guadalupe International Seminary in Denton Fr Leung particularly enjoys working in the Diocese of Parramatta because of the fervent faith of the faithful and their heartfelt simplicity Fr Martin Klein studied at the French and German speaking Seminary of St Peter Germany and felt called to the priesthood while he was a catechist with the Catholic Boy Scouts an extensive Catholic youth movement in Europe and as a boy I became involved in the Catholic Boy Scouts Our group restarted it locally and I helped lead it for 11 years while being a catechist.” He first encountered the Latin Mass in Cologne in the 1990s; seeing it for the first time he was very impressed by the sung Mass offered by a priest of the Fraternity of St Peter he can still remember when he first served at a Latin Mass and afterwards wanting to imitate the retired priest’s actions at the altar he decided to pursue priestly studies after being edified by the examples of a number of diocesan priests in Vancouver After studying under the Vancouver Benedictines for a year he transferred to the Fraternity of St Peter’s seminary he ministered in the USA and Canada before being assigned to Australia If attending a Latin Mass for the first few times one may see quite a variance in the ceremonies depending on the day There are several levels to the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass: a quiet Low Mass is the norm for weekdays; a Sung Mass (Missa Cantata) is more formal with Gregorian Chant and other sacred music; and a Solemn High Mass requires the additional functions of a Deacon and Subdeacon who chant the gospel and epistle respectively The Latin Mass Chaplaincy’s extensive liturgical schedule can be found at their website, by clicking here Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) will conduct planned burn operations within Girraween National Park starting Tuesday Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription Get an all access pass to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription A FULLY renovated 1940s “Ashgrovian” is a testament to how much Brisbane tastes have changed in the past decade alone The sprawling home has been jettisoned into the 21st century thanks to a fresh colour scheme Before renovations: 50 Girraween Grove Ashgrove Qld 4060 two car garage property at 50 Girraween Grove has undergone major changes since it last hit the market a decade ago it was a three bedroom triple gabled Queenslander picture rails polished timber floors and ornate plaster ceilings” that was said to be a “modern retreat for the contemporary family” which has undergone a major renovation to not just update the home but also make the most of its downstairs space – where two more bedrooms were added along with a bathroom Agent Carmen Briggs of Harcourts Solution – The Gap was marketing the property as a “magnificent home” in a dress circle address “Inspiring visions of peaceful indoor/outdoor living this impressive 1940s Ashgrovian has been fully renovated and is sure to provide years of comfort and enjoyment for your family.” the home has three large living areas plus formal dining room two outdoor living zones made up of the front and rear decks a gourmet kitchen with high quality appliances including a steam oven two family bathrooms plus an ensuite in the master It is set to go to auction at 11am on Saturday May 13 The property is open for inspection from 11am to 11.30am this Saturday and 1-1.30pm this Sunday Grace Vegesana is planning to study law at university once she graduates but says her perspective on the popular subject has completely changed since she learnt more about the disability and care sector "I do legal studies and a lot of people in my class have come to the realisation that even though law students face high [rates of] underemployment there are jobs in the area," the year 12 Girraween High School student said Girraween High School student Grace Vegesana talks to Olivia Princi from ProjectABLE.Credit: Daniel Munoz 11 and 12 students across Australia who have attended workshops on the expected impact of the National Disability Insurance Scheme on jobs in coming years run under the government-funded projectABLE initiative The Productivity Commission has forecast that about 70,000 jobs or one in five of all new jobs in Australia will be created in the disability sector by 2019 as a result of the multi-billion dollar scheme which aims to improve support for people with disabilities who has been vision-impaired since birth and is a presenter at the workshops said projectABLE aimed to make students more "comfortable with disability" and show them that most traditional jobs can be applied to the sector you would be able to apply to the disability sector," Ms Hirst said "A lot of students are having trouble finding work They'll just be looking for work as it booms and there will be lots of room to grow they have the ability to really change the world as they go forward." Grace said she wants to focus on environmental law and policy advisory and help "move into a world in which everyone has equal opportunity" "We spoke to people who have different levels of disabilities and I think that we can change the structure of buildings to change aspects of everyone's lives and support people with disabilities in living the best life they can live." said she was interested in studying medicine after school and first did a projectABLE workshop in year 10 "It made me aware that medicine is not just about helping people with heart disease or cancer you can also go into fields like rehabilitation," she said "The program was more practical and exposed us to disabilities more directly It made us realise that there are everyday realities that we don't consider "[And] I didn't realise that there were so many career opportunities in the sector." said she was also surprised when she first learnt about the initiative in 2009 "It was an eye-opener about the sector not just for the students but even myself," Ms Youhanna said "It made the students socially aware of different people around them and their needs and I'm sure they will consider the disability and care factor in whatever course they're doing." said many of the students she speaks to are initially a bit nervous because "they haven't been exposed to people with disabilities" "But once they know what it's like to have a disability they go you just have to find a different way of doing things "Even when they weren't considering a job in the sector at all they definitely start thinking about it differently Many of them have come to us at the end and said it's something they'd consider." \\\"I do legal studies and a lot of people in my class have come to the realisation that even though law students face high [rates of] underemployment there are jobs in the area,\\\" the year 12 Girraween High School student said said projectABLE aimed to make students more \\\"comfortable with disability\\\" and show them that most traditional jobs can be applied to the sector you would be able to apply to the disability sector,\\\" Ms Hirst said \\\"A lot of students are having trouble finding work They'll just be looking for work as it booms and there will be lots of room to grow they have the ability to really change the world as they go forward.\\\" Grace said she wants to focus on environmental law and policy advisory and help \\\"move into a world in which everyone has equal opportunity\\\" \\\"We spoke to people who have different levels of disabilities and I think that we can change the structure of buildings to change aspects of everyone's lives and support people with disabilities in living the best life they can live.\\\" \\\"It made me aware that medicine is not just about helping people with heart disease or cancer you can also go into fields like rehabilitation,\\\" she said \\\"The program was more practical and exposed us to disabilities more directly It made us realise that there are everyday realities that we don't consider \\\"[And] I didn't realise that there were so many career opportunities in the sector.\\\" not just for the students but even myself,\\\" Ms Youhanna said \\\"It made the students socially aware of different people around them and their needs and I'm sure they will consider the disability and care factor in whatever course they're doing.\\\" said many of the students she speaks to are initially a bit nervous because \\\"they haven't been exposed to people with disabilities\\\" \\\"But once they know what it's like to have a disability they go \\\"Even when they weren't considering a job in the sector at all Many of them have come to us at the end and said it's something they'd consider.\\\"